If you’re relocating for business, moving to another city, or simply planning a vacation, you might be curious about the most expensive cities in the United States💝. Understanding how much it costs to live in a town, and why, can make or break a decision to move.

Not surprisingly, New York and California cities dominate the list of America’s priciest cities. All figures are updated as of Feb꧅ruary 2025, unless otherwise specified.

1. Manhattan

New York City’s Manhattꩲan borough is the most expensive city in the U.S. Out of the estimated 8.26 million people who call New York City home, about 1.6 million live in Manhattan. The 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:cost of living in Manhattan is more than twice the national average.

Seemingly everything costs more in New York City, from groceries to housing. As of 2024, Manhattan’s median sold home price is $1.2 million compared with a national median of about $357,138. The city’s 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:unemployment rate is 5.3% compared with a national unemployment rate of 4.2%.

2. Honolulu

Honolulu is the second most expensive place to live in the U.S. The 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:U.S. Census Bureau estimated a population of nearly one million in the island city with an unemployment rate of 3.0%.

澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:Groceries run about 20% higher than the national average, while 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:utilities cost over two-thirds as much. In 2023 (the most recent data available), the median household income in Honolulu is about $104,264, higher than the national median of about $78,538 but falling short of a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:median household income of about $141,446 for San Francisco, California.

3. San Jose

San Jose is in California’s Bay Area with number 4 on this list, San Francisco. It has a population of about 970,000. Home values hover around $1.5 million, according to Zillow. The median household income for the city is about $141,565 as of 2023, the most recent data available.

4. San Francisco

The city’s estimated 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:population is about 809,000 as of 2023, the most recent data available. San Francisco’s staggeringly high cost of living and out-of-reach housing prices make median home prices nearly $1.3 million inside the city. Major industries include tourism, information technology, and 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:financial services.

San Francisco ranks among the top five most expensive cities for groceries and utilities. Grocery items cost roughly 22% above the national average, and utilities cost about 46% more than the national average. Unemployment is at an estimated 4.4%.

5. Brooklyn

Brﷺooklyn is the second borough of New York City on this list. The area is known for some key attractions, including Coney Island and Prospect Park.

The population in Brooklyn is higher than the more expensive Manhattan, with nearly 2.6 million residents. The median home value of Kings County is $854,797. The average rent in the borough is around $3,695, or a total of $44,340 for the entire year in 2025.

6. Orange County

If you plan to call this area home, you’ll join about 3.2 million other people. This California region includes Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Huntington Beach with a big concentration of Fortune 500 companies. Home values here top $1.1 million. The median household income is about $113,702 as of 2023, the most recent data available. The unemployment rate is 3.9%.

7. Queens

Queens is the third borough of New York City to be featured on this list. As the largest borough, it is home to the city’s two airports: John F. Kennedy ♚International Airport and LaGuardia Airport.

About 2.31 million people live in Queens with a median household income of around $85,000. The borough has a median home value of about $712,439 in 2025. Queens has 13.8% of its residents living in poverty.

8. Los Angeles

Los Angeles brings to mind movie stars, but the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:movie and television industry plays a small role in the city’s booming economy. The city’s shipping industry also plays a part, as the Port of Los Angeles is one of the busiest ports in the world. A bustling 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:manufacturing sector and a noteworthy startup scene contribute to the city’s hꦑigh cost of living. Certain ZIP codes, ജlike the famous 90210, drive up housing costs.

About 3.8 million people are living in the city in 2023, the most recent data available. The median home value in Los Angeles is about $973,393. The median household income is around $80,366. A family of four with two working adults would need a pretax income of roughly $140,000 to make ends meet in Los Angeles. Finally, 16.5% of the city’s residents live below the poverty line, compared with 11.1% nationally.

9. Boston

Approximately 654,000 people live in Boston, Massachusetts. Utilities and 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:healthcare costs exceed the average national cost by 43% for utilities and 18% for healthcare. Boston enjoys a robust higher educatio⛄n environment, a booming tech scene, and historic sites.

The unemployment rate is 3.9% in Boston and the surrounding areas as of 2024. The median 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:home value hovers around $748,243. Household income is about $94,755, a little over half of what a family of four needs in pretax income (about $165,000) to make ends meet.

10. San Diego

澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:California’s southernmost city is known for its beaches, mild year-round climate, and attractions like the San Diego Zoo. In addition to those tourism draws, San Diego’s economy is powered by aerospace, defense, research, and technology.

Almost 1.4 million people call the area home. Median 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:home values are approximately $1.02 million, and the median household income is about $104,321 in 2023, the most recent data available. A family of four with both adults working needs about $149,000 in income before taxes to make ends meet in San Diego.

The Bottom Line

City living can be expensive. According to the Council for Community and Economic Research, three New York City boroughs and five areas in California made the top 10 list of 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:most expensive cities during the first three quarters of 2024. Median incomes are relatively lower compared to the 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:cost oཧf housing, food, gas, and t𓆏axes. The overall cost of living in these 10 cities is higher than the national average.